Crabs, shrimps, lobsters, barnacles, slaters and other crustaceans are the stars of a new mini exhibition at Ashburton Art Gallery and Museum.

Mawhiti Tino Rawe/Clever Crustaceans was developed by NIWA and Te Papa, and opens in Ashburton on Saturday 28 September.

The art gallery and museum hosted Te Papa’s hugely-popular Colossal Squid last year.

Clever Crustaceans is a playful exploration of the bizarre and diverse world of five marine crustaceans. They can change their shape, circle the globe, and maybe even cure cancer – crustaceans are the unsung heroes of the sea.

The art gallery and museum’s deputy director Danielle Campbell said the facility was excited to be hosting Clever Crustaceans during the Term 3 school holidays and most of Term 4.

“We encourage local tamariki and their whānau to visit this unique exhibition while they have the chance and to join us for a special, hands-on workshop with NIWA scientists Rachael Peart and Kareen Schnabel on Monday 7 October at 1pm.”

The two scientists worked with Te Papa experts to deliver this mini exhibition that showcases the importance and special capabilities of the “insects of the sea”.

“Crustaceans are arthropods, which means they have segmented bodies and exoskeletons just like insects, so I love describing them as the insects of the sea. They are captivating creatures. They have adapted to live in an incredible variety of habitats, from beaches and shallows, all the way down to the deepest ocean trenches,” said Dr Schnabel.

“We are telling the stories of some of our favourite critters.”

Visitors will learn about the ‘shapeshifter’ kōura with its unexpected life stages as a long-distance open-ocean wanderer, the lightning speed with which the native mantis shrimp spears its lunch, the exceptional eyesight of the open ocean Phronima amphipod – which is even being used in techniques to detect cancer in humans – and the radical changes barnacles have undergone to get their kai (food).

The exhibition uses hands-on interactives and real specimens to explore the fascinating world and smart survival tricks of these unusual creatures. Take a digital deep dive into a special web hub to discover their superpowers.

Te Papa exhibition experience developer Dan Parke said it was a thrill to be able to highlight the unsung heroes of our ecosystem.

“We want visitors to touch, explore and discover these weird and wonderful crustaceans of Aotearoa New Zealand. We were inspired by the work of scientists to understand and protect these crustaceans and their homes, and we’re so excited to partner with NIWA on this special project.”

The Clever Crustaceans exhibition runs from 28 September to 24 November.

Gallery & Museum Hours: Open Daily 10am – 4pm, Open Wednesday 10am – 7pm.